


The One Time Hermione Was Wrong

by CarrieMaxwell



Series: The Hogwart Drabbler: short stories no one asked for [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Forbidden Love, Hidden Relationship, I will follow you into the dark, Inspired by Romeo and Juliet, Major character death - Freeform, Not Canon Compliant - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Sacrifice, Tragedy, Unplanned Pregnancy, Wizarding Wars (Harry Potter), no happy ending sorry, this is a what if
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-23
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26609896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarrieMaxwell/pseuds/CarrieMaxwell
Summary: Hermione and Draco. Against all odds they fell for each other. One thing led to another, and then one night led to a life alternating course for the two of them. Pregnant and on the run, the truth concealed from his family, they are thrust on opposite sides of a war yet on a collision course for the final battle.Sad ending one-shot.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy
Series: The Hogwart Drabbler: short stories no one asked for [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922026
Comments: 18
Kudos: 80





	The One Time Hermione Was Wrong

**Author's Note:**

> Mood music: I’ll Follow You Into The Dark – Deathcab for Cutie
> 
> part of my Dramione playlist:  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0Z9YpGAOG5YT3X1OMpPVDQ

“There will be no happy ending for us Granger. Can’t you get it through that thick optimistic Gryffindor skull of yours and just see it?”

She closes her eyes and wills the retort away. They’ve had that argument several times before, back in Hogwarts where it all began, and in the safe house where she’d just recently given birth to their son. Not even the innocent life they created was enough for the pessimistic Slytherin to change his mindset. He just knew they were doomed for failure.

But failure was not in Hermione’s vocabulary.

“You and I overcame our differences, if you fight with us, we can win this war.”

He shook his head. “You’re not fighting. I know you’re every much a warrior as you are a bookworm but you have another role now; a mother. You have to take him and get away from all this. One of us has to be there for him.”

“Stay with me Draco, be there for him too.” She takes his hand and squeezes it, though not with the strength she normally has. Months on the lam, while pregnant have run her health into the ground. She’s thin and exhausted, and luckily survived the birth. In the safety of a tiny cottage his aunt Andromeda currently cradles the child with a bottle as her own body couldn’t produce enough milk to nurse.

He reaches into his pocket and places something in her palm. An heirloom by the looks of it, reeking of ancient magic tied to the Black family line. “I went to my vault at Gringott’s and set up a separate account, one my parents cannot access nor know about. It’s under the surname Granger-Black, I won’t have this child carry the Malfoy name, it dies with me. This locket is all you need as identification to get in. Drain it if you want, I don’t care. Buy a chateau in France, a bungalow in Australia, I don’t care. Just get out of this blasted country and live Hermione.”

It’s an order and a request. One she can’t refuse.

For the life of their yet-to-be-named son, it’s all he can do to provide. He can’t let it be known, not until the dust settles and maybe not for a while afterwards. It could be years. It could be never. But knowing his love is alive and well and away from the danger is all he needs to keep going. Even if the manor burns down and every item of possession is lost, it’s an acceptable price to pay.

“I have to return, I’m running out of excuses while coming back empty-handed. They’ve got Luna Lovegood and Ollivander held captive in the dungeons and if I don’t feed them…”

She nods. “I know.” It tears her apart that he suffers such guilt for actions taken his parents, by the Death Eaters, and by the Dark Lord. “Draco…a name. We need to pick a name…”

“No love, its best I don’t know. Bad enough he has my hair, he’ll be recognized immediately. Thank god he has your eyes.” He hasn’t even held the infant, he knows if he does then all his resolve will break, the walls will crumble and he’ll agree to anything she says. Neither is he ready to face the reality that he has just become a father at such a young age-in the middle of a war no less-and with the exact person his upbringing taught him to hate and despise on sight.

It’s a lot to take in.

Again, a resolute nod from her. She knows his mind could be violated for information at any given moment should Voldemort or his crazed aunt believe there is an ounce of doubt in him. His shields must be up at all times. Even if her body was ready, they know that anything more than a short embrace would lead him to succumb to his desires that she just could not handle. It’s been too long without each other. Time was never on their side.

“I have to go.” He says, losing count of how many times he’s had to say it to her before. “And this needs to be the last time. You know this.”

Hot tears stream down her cheeks against the chilly spring air. He has to return to the Manor, play his role, return to the school, all while secretly trying to help Harry and Ron find the remaining Horcruxes and destroy them. She’d spent the last few months with them, sneaking out of Hogwarts when her body was starting to show. The robes could only hide so much. They figured out the last one was an item of Rowena Ravenclaw, hidden somewhere at the castle. If he could figure out how to repair the Vanishing Cabinet, then surely he can find a lost diadem.

Harry and Ron are out there, somewhere, having found the cup but losing the sword. They’ll just need to find another weapon capable of destroying the relics. Everything is coming to a head so quickly, there’s no time to sit and take a breather. Tension is in the air, everywhere.

“Don’t say Goodbye. We’ll see each other again.” She firmly protests. “And we’ll be a family.”

He closes his eyes and leans his forehead against hers. “Hope doesn’t work for me. Prayers and dreams and wishes…I can’t rely on them. You of all people should know that. Always with the facts, the logic, the basic truth. You do as I instruct and you’ll make it through the war mostly intact. Stay hidden. It’s the smartest thing for you.”

“Can I appoint Harry as his godfather?” she whispers softly.

“If he somehow scrapes through, he can be our landlord for all I care. I need to go. Love please, let me go.” His pleading tone only hits her harder, and her hands curl even tighter into his clothing. He can’t leave. He just can’t. Not now…

Her diminished health works in his favor, he’s able to pry her fingers out of his coat and press them together for a final kiss. He dares not touch those tempting lips of hers or he’ll be lost. Every fiber of his being wants to stay just as much as she has implored him to, but there’s so much more going on than the two of them and their secret affair.

“I lov-”

“Don’t do that.” He sternly warns. “Don’t fucking do that. Damn it, you filthy little Mudblood, don’t do that.”

“Fuck you, prissy pureblood wanker.” She snaps back with anguish.

It’s code. All of it is. It has to be. Too many chances for even the slightest sentence to be used against him. He’s already said too much as it is. He’ll have to work diligently to occlude this particular episode away. One last hard kiss to her knuckles and he practically leaps backwards from her, putting enough distance between to safely apparate away without accidentally pulling her in.

And just like that, he’s gone.

All she has with her is a nameless child and an heirloom as proof that there was ever more to her and Draco than the animosity they showed each at school.

She doesn’t buy a chateau in France.

Nor a bungalow in Australia. Nor does she run.

Instead, she hands Aunt Andromeda the locket, gives her the information, gives her newborn son over to the last blood relative he has that would not besmirch him for his half-blood status with one lingering kiss to his frosty white hair and wonders what beautiful name his great-aunt will bestow upon him before she leaves.

The boys need her. They always do.

The final showdown has begun. Hogwarts is a battleground. Bodies are strewn everywhere; student, professor, Death Eater…dead. Walls have crumbled, the ancient castle being torn apart curse by curse as duels fought to the bitter end now reside in hallways where children once laughed and ran freely.

Draco has done what he can, leading students out of harm’s way and deflecting would-be death blows. From around corners he takes shots at the supporters that have over-run the school, some led there by him no less. Oh no, these bastards won’t be killing innocent children anymore. Not while he’s here.

He recognizes a wild mane of bushy brown hair and nearly falls over himself.

No, I told her to flee! To take the baby and run! Why didn’t she listen?

It’s even more terrifying to see who she’s come up against, that blasted werewolf Greyback. The wolfman holds nothing back as he slashes into her, having pushed Lavender Brown out of the way, crimson blood spilling across the marble floor. She screams in agony but blasts him with a killing shot. One less loathsome beast to terrorize the world.

He rushes to her side, throwing a shield as Death Eaters assemble around them.

Too many to take on at once. The moment his shield drops, they’ll attack.

He resigns himself to his fate.

He’d follow her anywhere, even to the gates of Heaven, just before he descends to Hell where he so rightfully belongs for all he’s done.

He lays beside her, fingers entwined with hers as her body slowly bleeds out, the wounds deep and beyond his medicinal skill set.

“Hermione, love…I told you this wasn’t going to end happily for us.”

Eyes glassy, she cranes her neck at him. “What a time for me to be wrong…”

He bites his lip. “I hate to say I told you so…” he jokes as the tears pool.

She smiles at him. “Ten…p-points…to…Slythferinnn…” she drawls.

For once he was right, and how he wished this was the one time he’d been wrong.

The shield gives out. The Death Eaters see him cradling a Mudblood and call him a Blood Traitor. They say he must pay for his sin and he couldn’t agree more. Their wands point, even if he wanted to fight, the outcome would still be the same. He does still take two out before the green blast strikes him wholly in the chest and he falls beside her, their hands still held fast.

He follows her into the dark.

Harry emerged victorious, but not without a heavy price.

He lost his best friend.

He lost the ally that had once been his enemy.

And he lost every semblage of a childhood there was to have.

He gained a godson that reminded him so much of the two dear people who gave their lives in the war. While not equipped to raise a baby himself, Andromeda Tonks kept him in her care, along with the help of her daughter Nymphadora, who had just discovered she was pregnant shortly before the final battle.

It’s a sobering thought to think she could’ve very well ended up as Hermione did.

She and Remus took their chances with love in a time of turmoil, but they weren’t the only ones. And where they fell she and Remus would stand and continue the good fight should such a need call for it, as they helped raised the orphaned half-blood, the son of the Gryffindor Princess and the Slytherin Prince.  
…………………………..


End file.
